City Increasing Salt-Sand Treatment

2/10/2014

Contact:
Joseph T. Pajor, Department of Public Works & Utilities
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316-268-4422

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City of Wichita crews early this morning began applying salt-sand mix to melt off the latest snowfall. The salt-sand treatment, which began at 2 a.m., should clear the snow from the roadways, along with warming temperatures.

Crews continue to treat roadways around the clock. The City has deployed 50 trucks to plow and treat snow over 1,500 lane miles across 164 square miles. Personnel are scheduled on rotating 12-hour shifts to provide the snow response.

Last week’s extreme cold created difficult conditions for melting any remaining snow on the pavement. Sand was applied liberally to increase traction and make the roads safely navigable. The City’s salt supplies were preserved to treat this weekend’s storm event.

Additionally, the City more than doubled its normal salt deliveries beginning last Thursday. Normal salt deliveries have averaged 75 tons per day, and the City has contracted with Mies Construction to bring an additional 125 tons of salt per day. This allows crews to produce 400 tons of salt/sand mix daily with the new deliveries. Orders for 3,000 tons of salt were placed in December, but national demand has limited deliveries since that time.

These actions have provided sufficient salt/sand mix to treat the roads after this latest storm. According to the Salt Institute, road salt is 89% less effective at 10o than at 30o. Salt is much more effective at the forecasted temperatures, so City officials anticipate significant progress early this week.